Band saw



May 2, 1944. w. B. BOICE ETAL BAND SAW Filed June 3, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l lIIIIIIII/r Swen 1m flm May 2, 1944. w. B. BOICE ETAL BAND SAW Filed June 3, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 P'atenied May 2, 1944 umran sTArEs eAi ENT caries 2,347,?64'. nmssw William B. Boice and John E. Boice, Toledo, Ohio Application June 3, 1941, Serial No. 396,434 6 Claims. (01. 143-161) This invention relates to band saws and in its more particular aspects relates to a common support, for a telescoping band saw guard and a saw uide.

The object of this invention is to provide in a band saw a common support for a saw guard and for a saw guide.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the saw is completely enclosed within a guard structure and thereby exposes to view only that part of the saw which is actually being used for a cutting operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the saw guide and the guard are simultaneously adjusted to the desired height.

A still .further object oi the invention is to provide a guard construction at the operator's station which substantially surrounds the saw and i which telescopes into the wheel guard and which falso supports the saw guide for simultaneous vertical adjustment.

Another and still further object of the invention is to provide a combination saw guide and guard construction that is easily slid out of position and which provides a maximum rigidity to -the cutting blade in any vertical adjustment of the combined saw guard and guide.

Another and still further object of the invention is to provide a simplified guard and guide construction that reduces the number of parts employed, accelerates the "set up" time and reduces the number of adjustments when changing for varying thicknesses of work.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a saw guide in which some or all of the parts are interchangeable with the guide disposed below the work table.

Another and still further object of the invention is to construct a saw guide in which one guide part is angularly disposed to the other guide to enable it to be interchanged with a cor responding part employed on the guide disposed below the saw table top,

A still further object of the invention is to construct a saw guide that has but one adjusting element and which will still selectively adjust either the guide shoes or the guide roller.

Another and still further object of the invention is to provide a saw guide that will positively guide the saw in all positions of adjustment.

Another and still further object of the invention is to provide a saw guide in combination with a guard support that is particularly adaptable to bring the guide and guard right above the work piece operated upon thereby providing maximum stiffness and operator protection for that portion of the saw performing a cutting operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a saw guide that uses a minimum number of parts thereby reducing the cost of manufacture and assembly.

Another and a still further object of the invention is to provide a one-piece telescoping guard mounted on a support securable 'to the machine frame and which support holds the saw guide; the two structures are so constructed and arranged that the guard encloses the saw guide to completely guard the saw.

Other and further objects of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains as the description proceeds which taken in connection with the accompanying drawings sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention but such disclosures are not to be taken as a limitation of the invention which is limited only by the appended claims; and any and all modifications, alterations and variations of construction coming within the spirit and scope are deemed to be included herein.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is the front side elevational view of the upper portion of a band saw.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but showing the reverse side of the machine.

Figure 3 is a section view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the looking means for the guard.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the saw guide taken from the operator's side.

figure '7 is an elevational view of side of the saw guide.

figure 8 is a plan view assembly.

Figure 9 is an end in Figures 6, 7, and 8.

Figure 10 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 7 but modified to show the guide mounted below the work table.

Figure 11 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 19.

Figure 12 shows a modified structure similar to Figure 4.

Figure 13 is a section view taken along the line i3-I3 of Figure 12.

Band saws in the past have been constructed the reverse of the guard and guide view of the devices shown with saw guards that terminate a considerable distance above the work table or surface and have provided no protection to the operator for the saw between the work table top and the guard. A saw guide customarily provided below the guard aflforded some protection but limitations of construction limited the closeness "with which the guide could be put to the work piece? The applicants have provided a guard that telescopes or slides in the guard surrounding the i0 band saw head and that supports a saw guide. The entire combination is supported one. red or bar support that slides vertically with respect to the guard supported on the band saw head and is 50 arranged that vertical adjustment of the rod or bar adjusts both guard and guide and brings both immediately above the work and encloses the saw a maximum amount and provides a maximum of support for the saw during the cutting operation, and which is easily slid out of the way when not needed or when replacing work.

The physical embodiment of structure accomplishing the results and objects described above is set forth in the band saw head and guide structure detailed on the attached drawings in which I indicates the band saw head and wheel guard. The head comprises a frame structure 2 which has attached thereto a sheet metal cover 3. The frame structure also supports a band saw wheel 4 which is rotatably mounted in bearings (not shown) supported in frame 2 and adapted for vertical adjustment by means of hand wheel 5 in order to keep saw 6 properly tensioned.

The sheet metal casing 3 is adapted to completely surround the wheel 4 except for an opening on the front side of the machine through which access may be had to the wheel 4 and which is guarded by means of an appropriate cover I that may be hinged or otherwise swingably secured to the band saw head.

The sheet metal cover 3 extends to the right of the frame 2 to form a substantially tubular opening or extension 8 which is shown as being of a generally rectangular shape although it could assume a variety of shapes. The frame 2 has a. plurality of brackets or extensions 9, 9 secured thereto or integral therewith which extend into the tubular opening or extension 8. These brackets or extensions 9, 9 are adapted to form a bearing or backing for the vertical motion of the combination guide and guard structure l0. Brackets 9, 9 are appropriately formed or notched to receive portions of the element It] such that it may be moved vertically and exially of the extension or opening 8 to adjust the guard and guide structure i0 and thereby move it toward or away from a work piece supported on a table (not shown). The general organization of the machine is shown in a companion application S. N. 402,014, filed July 11, 1941.

The element i0 previously described as adjustable axially relatively of the extension 8 comprises a bar member ii to which is secured a channel shaped guard member l2 having one leg thereof secured to the bar ll; each of the 5 elements ii and I2 being considerably greater in length than they are in width. The member 12 is somewhat- U shaped as shown in the illustration but the ultimate shape of the element It is determined by the particular'shape of the tubular extension 8 and in any event extension 8 and member H are complementary to each other.

The bar element H has secured thereto a saw guide 13 which will be more specifically described is I of rigid guide elements 2 8 and 25.

I aeemee elsewhere in the specification. It comprises briefly a pair of relatively stationary saw guides to prevent flexing of the saw blade 6 and also contains an adjustable backing guide which is in the form of a roller.

Means have been provided in "the form of a locking element M which is adapted to hold the element W in any adjusted position. The locking element it comprises a shouldered and counterbored nut element i5, the shouldered portion of which fits behind or back of wall element 3. A screw element 15 is threaded over a portion of its length and is threadably engaged in the nut i5 and has its one end in engagement with element it) against the wall portion of channel member i2 which is supported on the bar it. A spring ii is concentrically disposed on the screw element it and has its one end engaging one of the wall portions of element l0 and the other end of the spring is in engagement with one end of the nut element l5; the counterbore of the nut element i5 providing a housing for the spring H. A handle i8 is slidably engaged with an enlarged end of screw i6 whereby the said screw i6 may be rotated and locked against element Iii by pressing bar I i in engagement with bracket Attention at this point is invited to the fact that the spring I! is tensioned such that it will exert enough pressure on the element l0 and against brackets 9, 9 to hold element In against sliding motion in the tubular extension 8 during periods of adjustment or in other words producing sufiicient friction between bar element II and the notches in brackets 9, 9' in which the bar II slides such that the gravitational force on the element ID will be overeoinethereby enabling the operator to quicklyadiust the element l0 and be relieved of the task of holding the said element I0 while the locking screw i6 is turned home. Attention is further invited to the fact that the shouldered portion of nut I5 prevents an axial separation of the nut l5 and the wall portion 3 thereby assuring the operator that the locking mechanism M will always be in a serviceable condition. element i4 is arranged in proximity to brackets 9 ,;and is pref erably disposed between them;

Reference is now made to Figures 6, '1 and 8 which show a more detailed construction of the saw guide that is secured to and rigidly associated with the element l0. The 'saw guide originates in a track element l9 rigidly secured to the element iii and in particular to the bar it which constitutes the basic support for the channel member i2 and the saw guide I3. The mode of securing track element l9 to bar I2 is by medium of a spacer element 20 that is welded or otherwise secured to the bar ii. The element 29, more preferably called a spacer, has two apertures therein through which a pair of screws 2!, 2i are passed and which are threaded to the track element i9 which constitutes the base of the saw guide 13.

slidably mounted on the track element is is a first frame 22 which has a pair of slideways 22a and 22b arranged thereon which fit over the track element (9. Arranged at one end of the frame 22 is a forked holding element 23 integral with the frame 22 that adjustably receives a pair These guide elements are adapted to prevent a flexing of the saw blade 5 as it passes throughthe forked end 23 of the frame :22 between said guide elements 25 and 25. A pair of locking screws 26 and 2'! are provided in each of the forks to adjustably secure the guides 24 and 25 in position.

A second frame 28 is slidably arranged on the track element I8 and is provided with slideways 28a and 28!: which are spaced alternately to the guides 22a and 22b of the frame element 22. The frame 28 has arranged at one end thereof. on an appropriate bracket. 30, a. backing or roller guide 29. The roller guide 29 may be removed from the bracket by means of screw element 3|.

Means have been provided for adjusting the roller guide 29 and the stationary guides 24 and 25 relatively to each other and to the track element I8 and bar H and to that end the frames 28 and 22 are adapted to be locked to the track element |9 by means of locking screws 32 and 33; the latter screws 32 and 33 being placed respectively in frames 28 and 22 and always kept in a tumed home condition. Each of the frames 28 and 22 have ears 38 and 31 respectively mounted thereon that are bored, each of which bores are disposed on the same, or have a common, axis.

The means for sliding the guides 25, 24 and 3| relatively to each other and to the saw 6 comprises a screw element 35 that is rotatably received and held in the ear 31 and is threadably received in the ear 36, the screw being threaded at its one end as shown in the several figures of the drawings. The other end of the screw 35 has a knurled handle 34 which facilitates the turning of the screw 35. When it is desired to adjust the frames supporting the guide ele ments relatively to the track element i8 and the bar II it is necessary that one. of the locking screws 32 or 33 be released. Whichever frame is to be adjusted-:-has its locking screw released thereby permitting the frame to slide relatively of the track element l8 upon rotation of screw 35 by its handle 34. To specifically illustrate; assume that it is desired to adjust the frame 28 relatively of the track element l9 then screw 32 is released and screw 35 rotated which by reason of its threaded engagement with the ear associated with frame 28 urges the frame along the track element l9. Now assume that it is desired to adjust the frame 22. Screw 33 is released whereupon the screw 34 is rotated and since frame 28 is locked to the track element I8 it is evident that the axial motion of the screw 35 will slide the frame 22 along the track element l8 by reason of the fact that the screw is rotatably associated with the ear 31. After each adjustment each of screws 32 or 33 is turned home to lock each of the frames 22 and 28 in any selected position of adjustment.

The guard l2, it will be observed, completely protects the saw and guides leaving no part of the saw exposed above the guide. The assembly I8 is adjusted such that it just clears the work and then furnishes maximum rigidity to the saw and maximum safety to the operator.

Attention is at this point invited to the fact than one of the forked portions of frame 22 which holds guide element 24 is disposed at an angle of approximately 45 to the longitudinal dimension of the frame or to the longitudinal axis of guide 25. Advantage is taken of this particular constructional feature in making this part directly interchangeable with a correspond ing part of a saw guide disposed below the table top. The assembly of the slightly modified lower saw guide and its method of mounting on the base of the machine is shown more particularly in. Figures 10 and 11. The complete ma chine assembly is-shown in the companion case referred to above.

In Figure 10, indicates a portion of a bracket mounted on an appropriate base (not shown) of the band saw, on which a trunnion 4| is rigidly mounted by means of one or more screws Ho. The trunnion 4| receives'a complementary element d2 secured to table top 33 and bolt 44 and nut 44a serves to lock elements 4| and 42 together. This structure forms subject matter explained in greater detail in the companion case identified above. The trunnion 4| has an extension 4|a, through which screw 4w passes, resting on bracket 48 and serves a purpose similar to spacer element 20 described in connection with Figures 6, 7, and 8. The element 4 a is slightly enlarged at one end as shown in Figure 10.

The shouldered or enlarged portion of 4|a has mounted thereon the track element 45 that is made secure thereon by means of screws 45; 48 passing through appropriate apertures in the portion 4|a. Mounted on track element 45 are two frame members 41 and 48 that are substantially identical in construction with elements 22 and 28 described above. In actual manufacture each of the portions 41a and 48a on the frames is originally cast with an angularly extending portion adapted to receive the corresponding one of lock screws 48 and 58'that engage track element 45 to lock the frame in position. In the construction of parts 22 and 28 these small extensions are milled off to present the structure of Figures 6-9. By pursuing this expedient one mold or die of each part will suffice for all parts and therefore each corresponding part may be selectively employed on either guide by allowing the extension to remain or milling it off. As an actual matter of fact extensions 41a and 48a need not be provided at all but only serve a convenient expedient to better receive and locate.

screws 49 and 50 in the lower guide.

The frame 48 is provided with a forked end 48b in each of the prongs of which a rigid guide 5| or 52 is supported and held by screw 53 or 54 respectively. The frame 41 has roller guide 55 rotatably mounted thereon in a manner similar to guide 28 on frame 28. Cutter or saw 8a operates between guides 5| and 52 and against the roller 55 in the manner and for the purpose more particularly described in connection with the description of Figures 6, 7, and 8. Attention is again called to the fact that one of the guides is disposed at an angle of approximately 45 to the other. This construction enables the guides to be placed immediately against the work or against the bottom of the table top. It also permits the cutting of a thicker piece of stock when the table is tilted at an angle from the horiizontal. l i

Frame 41 has an ear 56 integrally associated therewith and frame 48 hm an ear 5! thereon, shown partially in dotted lines in Fig. 10, and in which screw 58 is rotatably mounted. The screw 58 is threadably associated with ear 56. A knurled handle 53 is secured to screw 58 to rotate the latter. The association of the inunediately foregoing structure is similar in construction, function and purpose to the corresponding ear and screw structures of Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9. The mode of operation and adjustment is likewise similar to that set forth in connection with aforementioned figures. Handle 53 for convex-i=- ience is brought to an exterior edge of table 43.

It is evident therefore that by a slight alters tion the parts are interchangeable and that two molds or dies suince to make all the parts and a small amount of machining is all that is necessary to selectively prepare the parts for use on either the upper or the lower saw guides.

Figures 12 and 13 show a modification of the combination of Figures .3 and 4. -In the latter figures the brackets 9, 9 are integrally associated with the frame 2 whereas in Figures 12 and 13 the brackets 60 and Bi are extended and secured directly to the wall 3. All of the parts function and operate exactly as those described in connection with Figures 3, 4 and 5 and the numbers of the parts occurring in Figures 12 and 13 and that also occur in Figures 3-5 bear primes.

That which is considered new, novel and useful and which is sought to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a band saw guide mechanism; a bar element; a second bar transversely disposed to said first bar and secured thereto at one end; a pair of block guides adjustably mounted on said second bar; a roller guide adjustably mounted on said second bar; a single means adapted to selectively adjust both sets of gu1des; and alter-' nate means one for each adjustable guide to lock said guides on said bars, one of said alternate means being unlocked when said block guides and said roller guide are adjusted relatively of each other and said bars.

2. In a band saw guide; a base plate; a frame slidably mounted on said base plate and supporting one set of guides; a second frame mounted on said plate and supporting a second guide; an adjusting screw connecting said frames and alternate locking means on each of said frames adapted to selectively lock them to said base plate comprising a locking screw for the one frame and a locking screw for said second frame.

3. In a device as defined in claim 2 in which said adjusting screw rotates relatively to one of said frames and is threaded into the other of said frames.

4. In a band saw unit; an elongated bar; a saw guide support rigidly secured to said bar; a pair of frames relatively slidable on said guide support; a common means to selectively adjust said frames on said guide support; saw guides mounted on said frames; and alternate locking means, one on each frame, to lock said frames and guides in any adjusted position on said guide support, said common means selectively moving one of said frames when the other is locked.

5. In an interchangeable saw guide; a track element securable to a band saw frame element; a guide slidable on said track, said guide comprising a pair of guide blocks mounted in sockets formed in said frame element, one of said guide blocks disposed at an angle of to the other, said angularly disposed guide blocks making the frame element selectively usable as an upper or lower saw guide; a roller guide slidable on said track element interchangeably usable on either an upper or lower guide track; common means to selectively adjust the guides along the said track; and alternate locking means, one on each guide, to selectively lock said guides to said track element, said common means moving one of said guides along said track when the other is locked to said track.

6. In a saw guide that is employable as either an upper or a lower guide comprising; a track element selectively usable on the upper or lower guide; a first frame slidably mounted on said track and having two guide blocks one disposed at an angle of approximately 45 to the other, said angularly disposed guide block rendering the frame usable on the upper or lower guide and permitting the guides to be adjusted in immediate proximity to the work or the bottom of the saw table; a second frame slidably mounted on said track and having a roller guide in proximity to said guide blocks, said second frame usable on the upper or lower guide; a common means to selectively adjust either of said frames along said track and means to lock each of said frames to said track, comprising alternate looking means, one on each frame, to selectively lock said frames to said track element, said common means moving one of said frames along said track when the other is locked to said track,

WM. B. BOICE. JOHN E. BOICE. 

